


Make an effort

by Zoya113



Category: The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid
Genre: Arguing tw, F/M, Pre-Canon, dysfunctional relationship tw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2020-04-12 06:24:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19126405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zoya113/pseuds/Zoya113
Summary: CCRP tries to cheer up Charlotte’s bad day





	Make an effort

**Author's Note:**

> Listen okay I know people don’t come to the tag for Charlotte and I know I wroTe this but this made me feel warm inside and then I cried for two minutes abt how Charlotte is used as a comedic device instead of properly exploring her character okay I really liked this 
> 
> Set a year or so before the plot so a much younger Melissa who’s still a bit socially awkward

“Char, get up.”  
Charlotte slowly opened her heavy eyes and stared at the empty spot in the bed next to her until Sam called her again.   
“Charlotte, c’mon!”   
She winced, it was too early for yelling.   
She rubbed her eyes and threw her legs over the side of the bed, her head span as she sat up. “Good morning Sam,” she mumbled in a heavy sigh.   
She waded through the piles of clothes on the floor that she was supposed to clean up, Sam wouldn’t be happy that she hadn’t had the time yet again.   
She opened up the ensuite door and looked at her miserable reflection.   
There were bags under her eyes worse than last night, and her mascara had left dark trails down her cheeks from when she had cried last night. 

‘So what issues have you been facing together this week? Any arguments, fights, anything worse?’ That’s what the councillor had said, verbatim.   
She remembered word for word, and she had remembered the look on the counsellors face when he saw her expression, it must’ve been disgust or disappointment or shame, it was an understanding that things weren’t getting better, that Sam had fell asleep on the couch again last night instead of coming to bed. It was probably her fault.   
She remembered the awful, ugly spluttering sound that came from her mouth when she tried to answer and before her tears ruined her vision she could see Sam’s face turn red with embarrassment and he had shifted to the other side of the couch and refused to look at her for the rest of the night. 

“Charlotte! Hurry up!” Sam’s raucous voice called again from the kitchen, tearing up her train of thought.   
She had no time to brush her hair properly today. She tied it up in a bun and slipped on a hairband to keep it out of her eyes. She hurried out to the kitchen, wiping her eyes to remove any trace of tears. “Yes, sweetheart?”   
“Where’s my shirt?”   
Charlotte blinked.   
“God, Char. I’m going to be late. My uniform, where is it?” He was wearing the white shirt he wore yesterday, already featuring some unsightly food and sweat stains.   
“I haven’t had the time to-“   
“Jesus, really? I asked you to wash it two days ago! What do you expect me to wear to work now? Can’t you just make an effort?” He turned around from the stove and paused, looking her up and down.   
There was a second of silence where Charlotte couldn’t read his thoughts.   
She prayed he was going to apologise for yesterday after seeing how tired and broken down she looked but instead he huffed. He stopped arguing and turned back around.   
It’s because he didn’t want to look at her.   
“I’ll just grab one from the wash. What time will you be home?” He headed off towards the washing machine.  
“Six,” she answered quietly, holding her breath and listening to his movements in the other room.   
“I’ll be out tonight. I’m on patrol. Leave dinner in the oven and I’ll heat it up when I’m back.”   
“What time?”   
“I don’t know, Char. I’m off.”   
“Well stay safe! I love you!”   
He didn’t return the goodbye but at least he didn’t slam the door.  
Charlotte kept her breath in her lungs and stared at the floor until she was sure he had left. She held her breath until her lungs began to burn and then she exhaled loudly.   
She wasn’t going to get mad. She didn’t have time for that today.   
She sat down at the table mostly out of routine. In the early years of their marriage they would make breakfast for each other and eat it together before they left. Her eyes burnt into the empty space where her toast used to be and into the empty chair where Sam used to sit. He had left his crumbed plate on the table. She stood up -there was no point in lingering- and carried it over to the sink.  
The vase on the kitchen table was full of wilted flowers she hadn’t had the time to replace. Maybe if she found time to buy new ones Sam would have a reason to eat breakfast with her tomorrow.   
She dropped the plate into the sink and the clash startled her from her guilty stupor.   
Why would flowers change anything? He should just want to eat with her because they were married, because he was supposed to be making an effort. Because he was supposed to love her, it had nothing to do with flowers and it never should have.   
Sam should just try. He should just at least pretend he can’t stand to be around her, she pretends she loves him everyday. It shouldn’t be different for him. She shouldn’t be cleaning up his messes and doing his chores like he was a child. If he was going to live here he should at least contribute to something: whether that be the tasks or their relationship she didn’t care at this point. Any sign that he wasn’t a free-loading, heartless, emotionally hollow jerk would be enough at this point.  
‘Meow!’   
A small noise dragged her out of her spiral. “Oh, hello dear,” She leant down to stroke the cat that brushed up against her legs. “Are you hungry?” She walked with more purpose this time towards the cat dishes by the front door.   
‘Meow!’ Again.   
“I slept well, how about you?” She replied. Talking with her kitten was really the only conversation she had these days. She would like to make up questions and answer them, it made her feel better.   
‘Meow!’   
“Yes, I’m going. Just be patient, here you are,” she scooped the dry food into the bowl and her cat looked up at her with another mewl.  
“You’re welcome,” she smiled, even though she knew that meow meant ‘I want wet food!’ Not ‘thank you.’ But at least she could pretend someone was being nice to her.   
Her cat took two or three bites of the meal before letting out another, much louder meow.   
“Yes! This is my new sweater. I saw it in the shops the other day and I knew you’d love it. See, that’s you!” She pointed at the grey tabby on her sweater, disregarding the fact that it was the same sweater she had worn to bed.   
Her cat titled their head as if to say, ‘no, that’s not what I’m talking about.’   
“Oh!” Charlotte spun around to look at the clock on the wall. “I have to go!” She should’ve left almost ten minutes ago but she had gotten sidetracked in her anger yet again. She raced to the bedroom, pushing through the clothes in her wardrobe to find her blazer.  
Two weeks ago she had brought one just like Melissa’s because it made them both smile when they saw they were matching.   
It was not until she was rifling through her wardrobe for the third time that she realised it was in the wash. She shot a desperate look at the clock, begging for it to turn back time.   
She pulled on a skirt from the back of her wardrobe: a long, floral print skirt that was the most formal, clean item of clothing she had at the moment and ran to the door to make up time. 

———————————————————-

Paul’s attention was taken away from his work as Charlotte stood up, staring up at the roof as if she had bigger things on her mind.   
“Hey Charlotte?” He asked.  
“Oh! Sorry, yes?” She blinked and spun towards him. “Is everything okay?”   
“Where are you headed?” He asked.   
“Just to get some fresh air,” she explained, he watched her tuck a box of cigarettes into her skirt pocket.   
“Are you alright?” He asked, not wanting to pry. Clearly something wasn’t right today.   
“Of course,” she nodded.   
“Well I was going down to Beanies, d’you want anything maybe? My treat.” She looked exhausted.   
“No, I’m fine, thank you Paul,” she shook her head and when Paul left Bill could get a better look at her.   
She certainly wasn’t meeting the correct dress code. “Hey Charlotte?” He asked.   
“Yes?”   
“How did counselling go last night?” He asked.   
Charlotte gave an awkward laugh. “It went swell. We’re really making progress,” she turned on her heels and marched out before Bill could say anything else.   
Bill had an uneasy feeling about that.   
He knew what it felt like to fight just as much as her. He looked down at the framed photo of Alice on his desk before sighing and turning back to his work.   
“Bill!” Came an uncertainly enthusiastic call from behind him as Mr. Davidson entered the IT room, he came to stand behind Charlotte’s chair, leaning on it oddly. “Left all alone huh?”  
“Paul’s on a coffee run,” Bill explained.   
“Well maybe he should just take Melissa’s job then huh?” His boss laughed unsurely, trying to start up a conversation. “And Charlotte?”   
“Uh, why?”   
“I need to talk to her,” he drummed his fingernails on her desk. “About dresscode,” he mumbled the last bit as if he wasn’t sure whether his position as boss would stop Bill from protecting his friend.   
Bill glanced down at his picture of Alice again for courage before pushing out his chair and standing up. “Hmm,” he paced around the IT office for a moment as if in thought. “Y’know, I think she just went to the bathroom,” he lied. “I’ll send her your way when I see her next.”   
Mr. Davidson nodded. “Mhm,” he stared at Bill for a second longer.   
Bill felt like he had to confess but kept his lips sealed. “So uh, thanks Mr. Davidson! See you later!” He directed his hand towards the office door. “I’ll show you out, I was just about to head up to talk to Melissa actually!” He struggled not to give his boss the truth, that Charlotte had only stepped outside for a smoke break. Instead of taking that risk he opted for a more awkward silence.   
It would be a funny story to tell Alice later, it would make her laugh.   
Mr. Davidson parted ways on an aimless search for Charlotte as Bill met up with Melissa.   
“Hey, Melissa,” he began, making sure his boss was out of earshot. “Do you know anything about Charlotte today?”   
Melissa frowned, “well she looks very sleepy, I was going down to Beanies,” the girl perked up at the mention of the coffee place alone. “Maybe I could get her something?”   
“It’s okay, Paul already went and she doesn’t want anything.”   
Melissa’s eyes slitted. “Paul went to Beanies?”   
Bill nodded. “That’s not the point though, Mr. Davidson is looking for her but I think she’s had a rough week. She doesn’t need to be yelled at today, it won’t make things any better.”   
Melissa nodded her head up and down, listening closely. “I got it. False directions, stalling, the whole nine yards.” Usually she wouldn’t lie to her boss, he was nice to her in a way most of her other coworkers brushed her off and excluded her from their work circles. But treated nicely or not he was a little bit strange, and doing this favour for Bill might give her a foot in with the IT workers. “You can count on me, Bill!” She gave a clumsy salute. “Now you get back to work, I’ll get to distracting Mr. Davidson!” She grinned, hopping out from behind her desk and trotting down the hallway to find her boss.   
“Sir!” She called, holding her clipboard innocently to her chest. “I’m going to go get coffee, would you like anything?”   
Distract Mr. Davidson, see the cute barista at the same time, end up in Bill’s social circle: three birds with one stone.   
“Uh,” Mr. Davidson looked at his watch. “A little late for coffee don’t you think?”   
“Oh don’t be silly!” She waved him off. “I’ll get you your usual, okay? Just wait in your office and I’ll bring it to you!”   
Mr Davidson shook his head, “I’m still looking for Charlotte,” he fixed his glasses.  
“Don’t,” she fixed hers. “Oh! Because she’s actually gone ahead of me to get the coffee so she won’t be around.”   
Mr. Davidson nodded sceptically. “Maybe we should just rent out that coffee place, every member of my staff seems to spend half their day gawking at the barista’s instead of doing their jobs.” He elbowed Melissa. “Good thing I know you aren’t going there for that, right?”  
Melissa laughed too loudly, a scarlet blush spreading across her cheeks. “Hahah! Of course not! No, I’m getting coffee for you! That’s why!” She lowered her head and rushed towards the door. “Thank you Mr. Davidson! Just-“ she gestured with one arm to his office: “Go there!”   
And she rushed out through the front doors with her head still down she wouldn’t have seen Charlotte if the girl didn’t wave.   
“Ah!” Melissa yelped. “I was looking for you! Mr Davidson is looking for you too! But don’t look for him I-“ she stumbled over her words, making a fool out of herself.  
Charlotte breathed out a cloud of smoke like a dragon. “Are you alright?”   
Melissa nodded frantically. “I like your sweater, Charlotte!” She pointed at the tiny grey cat on her clothes. “Also, I think you should come to Beanies with me.”   
“Sorry, I didn’t quite catch all of that.” Melissa was talking too fast, her face was red like she was embarrassed about something. “Did you say Mr. Davidson wants to see me?” She looked down at her clothes, it would be about her uniform.   
“Yes! But you shouldn’t look for him he’s probably busy or something, do you want to come to Beanies with me though?” She gestured down the street. “To see the girls and get coffee and I might need a hand carrying everything back!”   
“Thanks for the offer but I better stay here, I’ve already taken my lunch break,” Charlotte shook her head. “I’ll see you later Melissa.”   
Melissa was frozen as if she didn’t know how to move on from this point. “Uh!” She exclaimed before shaking her head and waving goodbye, hurrying down the street.   
Charlotte took another drag of her cigarette to ease her mind before heading back inside where she knew she would get a warning for her uniform. Then she’d have to make sure all the laundry gets done, probably two or three loads. She’d have to fit her dinner in there somewhere as well and she still had her weekly reports to do, it was all too overwhelming.   
She sighed, dropping her cigarette and putting it out with her foot.   
“Hey, man. Just don’t,” come Ted’s voice from inside.   
She froze, sticking up against the wall. He sounded mad.   
“Can’t you just give her a break? Listen, her uniform isn’t hurting anyone.”   
There was a mumbled reply that belonged unmistakably to Mr. Davidson.   
“She works in IT for gods sake, it’s not like customers are going to see her!”   
“I can’t just let it slip every time she does this, Ted. She has to make an effort.”   
Charlotte took a step back against the wall, rolling her ankle slightly as she stepped into the garden. She clutched her hands tightly to her chest as she felt her breathing worsen.   
“Look if she has to get a warning or a demerit or whatever shit you have to do just put it under my name okay? Does she look like she needs this shit, sir?”   
“Calm down Ted. This isn’t really your business. It just has to do with the companies image, it isn’t personal.”   
“Well I wish it was!” Ted sounded exasperated. “If it was personal maybe you’d see that she’s going through some shit right now, she doesn’t need you on her back when she’s already struggling. It’s Charlotte! She probably feels guilty enough as it is!”   
Mr Davidson sighed loudly. “Ted, I get it. I’ll let it slide today alright but you aren’t supposed to speak to me like that. It’s a lovely think to do for your co worker but let’s not talk about this again okay?” His footsteps got quieter.   
Charlotte stood on her own. The smell of cigarette smoke had never made her feel sicker. She didn’t deserve this kindness.   
It must’ve been a minute or two before the automatic doors slid open and Ted stepped out.   
“Charlotte,” he began. “What’re you doing in the garden?” He looked down at her shoes and back up at her. He sniffled and rolled his tongue over his teeth. He didn’t seem as bothered as he was letting on. “Come on, get back on inside it’s freezing,” he lent her a hand even though she didn’t need it. “Busy day in tech?” He asked.   
She shook her head an anxious no.   
“Yeah, not busy upstairs either. Just on break?”   
She nodded.   
“Well you should have that in the kitchen. A lot more people to make conversation with in there than out here with the plants,” he joked.   
“Well the ferns have some funny things to say,” Charlotte tried to return the joke, and while it wasn’t funny and she had stammered on her delivery Ted still gave her a pity laugh.   
“I’m headed back upstairs. Do you need anything?”   
Charlotte wanted to say yes, she wanted company and help and to thank him, but she twitched her head left and then right in a tiny shake.  
“Have a good evening, Char,” he waved goodbye before heading off to the elevators.   
Charlotte turned tail and rushed back down the stairs to the IT department, sitting down in her seat and shoving her head into her computer before Bill could see her red cheeks.   
Her heart raced and thudded against her rib cage, her toes were clenched inside her shoes and she was bouncing her leg.   
“Oh my goodness,” she held her hands together in a prayed but nothing else came out of her mouth until Paul returned.   
“Back from Beanies!” He was slightly breathless from the walk. “I brought you some coffee, Charlotte. It’s on me so don’t worry about paying me back.” He set down a cup on her desk without requiring a thanks and returned to his own.   
The door was flung open a second time as Melissa marched in.  
“I am back from Beanies!” She announced to what seemed like no one in particular but she was glaring at Paul. She closed the door cautiously as if she was on the lookout for someone. “And I brought coffee for Charlotte and Bill! But Paul already went so I have nothing for him!” She spoke awkwardly loud as if she wasn’t sure what volume to use.   
As she set down Bill’s coffee she smiled, it reminded her of an excited puppy. “I really threw him off the scent, Bill!” She beamed. “When I got back from Beanies he was sitting in his office, he seemed all sulky about it! Yeah, I really tricked him!”   
Charlotte couldn’t help but laugh a little at not only her enthusiasm, but that Ted’s shouting had really shut down her boss hard.   
Next, Melissa skipped past Paul’s desk to place a big coffee down for Charlotte, then she noticed she already had one.  
“Ah,” Melissa began, unsure of what to do now.   
“It’s okay, I’ll take it. I’m tired,” Charlotte admitted if only to save face. “Thank you Melissa, thank you Paul.”   
“Hey Melissa,” Bill pushed out his chair, the ‘I’m done with work right now’ signal. “Do you want to stay down here for a bit? We’ll have a coffee break all together.”   
Melissa’s whole face lit up.   
Charlotte gave a gentle smile, she enjoyed Melissa’s company quite a lot. It was nice to have someone from the upper floors who even knew her by name and Melissa usually went out of her way to be kind to Charlotte, although she didn’t know what drama there was between her and Paul.   
“Did you carry back all the cups alright without my help?” Charlotte asked.   
Melissa nodded. “The barista was super nice, she gave me a tray for them.”   
Paul nodded. “Yeah well, that’s what they’re supposed to do. The barista was nice to me as well, you know.”  
Her afternoon was more pleasant than usual, only made better by its stark contrast to her morning.   
Melissa had stayed for the last two hours of the day and helped Charlotte finish her weekly reports so she didn’t have to take them home. Bill and Paul had both complimented her sweater after the secretary pointed it out again, albeit in a much more level-headed manner than the excitable younger girl.   
“I bought it because it looks just like my cat!” Charlotte had told the story to a person this time. It felt nice.   
At home her cat weaved between her legs as if to offer support. One last thing to smile at before Sam came home and ruined her good day. She had left his meal in the oven once she got the ‘on my way home’ text, and retreated to the bedroom.   
She had snuck out for some water when she heard the front door open and Sam walked in, taking off his muddy boots at the door.  
“Oh! You’re up,” he yawned. “You wouldn’t believe the patrol I was on today,” he started but didn’t elaborate. They both knew talking wouldn’t do either of them much good.  
“Sounds like a long day,” Charlotte sipped nervously at her water, tapping her foot.   
“Yeah,” Sam leant down to scratch the cat’s chin. “Hey guy,” he put on his baby voice briefly before standing up. Instead of moving to the oven he took off his bag at the kitchen table, slumping it down in a chair. He took the wilted -whatever they were, it had been too long to remember- flowers and tossed them in the bin before pulling a new bouquet out of his bag and slipping them in. “I had a patrol route near the florist. These have been bugging me for a while so I figured I’d change them.”   
“Oh!” Charlotte bit back a tear. Unsure if it was a happy or a sad one. They were lilacs, her favourite. “Don’t they look lovely? Baby?” She looked down at her cat, out of the loop on how to be kind to her husband or accept any sign of generosity.   
Sam chuckled in his deep voice. “You like to talk to him too?”   
Charlotte nodded, holding her empty glass close to her chest. “Well, sometimes.”   
“These are lilacs,” Sam informed her of what she already knew and waited for her to say something.  
“Yes,” she confirmed, staring at them a second longer.   
“They bring some colour to the kitchen.”   
“They’re my favourite flower,” she told him breathlessly. He remembered.   
Sam grinned and let out almost what seemed like a sigh of relief.   
“Thanks, I tried to make an effort.”


End file.
